Embodiments of the present invention relate to the field of sockets for coupling integrated circuit components to printed circuit boards, particularly to sockets having separate geometries for power delivery and signal contacts.
Sockets are frequently used to connect an integrated circuit (IC) component to a printed circuit board (PCB) rather than soldering the IC component directly to the PCB. Use of sockets may enable major computer system components, such as microprocessors, to be easily inserted, removed, and replaced. Sockets may be particularly useful in cases in which a computer system may be upgraded by removing a microprocessor and replacing it with a higher performing microprocessor without having to replace the entire computer system. Some of the latest microprocessors are packaged in land grid array (LGA) packages that have an array of land pads on a bottom surface of the package.
An LGA socket soldered to a PCB may have an array of contacts corresponding to the array of land pads for electrically coupling an LGA component with the PCB. Typically, a certain number of contacts are allocated for power delivery to the LGA component. For example, FIG. 1 illustrates a top view of an exemplary pattern of contacts 102 allocated for power delivery. As illustrated, alternating contacts may be coupled with power and ground. Typically, the contacts allocated for power delivery have the same geometry (i.e. size, shape and spacing) as the rest of the contacts in the array, which may be used for signals.
However, as high performance processors consume increasing levels of power and current, limitations to power delivery may occur due to electrical resistance of the contacts. Increased current density through the contacts may create self-heating which may further increase contact resistance and limit power delivery to the LGA component. A current approach to reduce current density through the contacts of an LGA socket is to allocate a greater number of contacts for power delivery. However, allocating a greater number of contacts for power delivery may reduce the number of contacts available for signals.